Quoc Ngu is the Romanized script for the Vietnamese language, developed in the 17th century by Portuguese Jesuit missionaries, particularly Alexander de Rhodes. It uses the Latin alphabet, making it more accessible for reading and writing compared to traditional Hán-Nôm characters. The adoption of Quoc Ngu became widespread in the 20th century, especially during the French colonial period. It played a crucial role in promoting literacy and education in Vietnam, ultimately becoming the official writing system for the Vietnamese language. Today, Quoc Ngu is used in all aspects of Vietnamese life, including literature, media, and education.